


When the Prime Minister was a big fan of Jim Hacker

by Carnival_Ivy



Category: Yes Minister, Yes Prime Minister
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-08
Updated: 2019-08-27
Packaged: 2020-08-13 04:53:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,911
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20168473
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Carnival_Ivy/pseuds/Carnival_Ivy
Summary: And he was unfriendly to Sir Humphrey Appleby.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The young Prime Minister looked like this ↓

I had never dreamed that I could become Prime Minister one day.

When heading to No. 10 Downing Street, I greeted people, nervous inside. After all, James Hacker, one of the greatest Prime Ministers hadn't been welcomed by the enthusiastic people standing on both sides of the road. I didn't think I was more worthy of it than him.

Of course, I was a big fan of Jim Hacker since I was only a university student. As the last Prime Minister in whose tenure the economy grew, Hacker had a lot of achievements: 1.5 billion tax cuts, the cancellation of the Trident, the governance of financial streets, etc. Then his private diary was published, known as_ Yes, Minister_ and _Yes, Prime Minister_, introducing the conflict between them and civil servants. I really loved to read them, absorbing important knowledge and experience from Hacker.

A secret: I took the books with me, because I want a signature of Sir Bernard, the Cabinet Secretary, Principal Private Secretary of Hacker that time.

"Prime Minister!" When he first saw me, Sir Bernard shouted in surprise. However, he quickly recovered to calm and gentle - an exemplar of civil servants, "Good afternoon, Prime Minister, please forgive me. I just confused you and ......"

"I know, and I should say. that's my honor." I answered, "so now, can you give me a signature on my _Yes, Minister_?"

Did I mentioned it? I was a big fan of Sir Bernard too. His mission was trying best to avoid Hacker and Sir Humphrey breaking with the other, so that he could on keep balance between his two leaders more easily, and went home from work on time.

He was extraordinary.

The first time Sir Bernard asked me to do things I didn't want to do is the next day after I came in No. 10.

"St Edward Hospital called No.10 this morning." my private secretary Lloyd disturbed, "they said Sir Humphrey wanted to meet Prime Minister."

My election agent said, "I heard Sir Humphrey watched all of your speeches and TV debates, and showed his pro for you many times, publicly and privately. It's a good idea to see him to show your gratitude. Besides, it can really motivate your votes by visiting a hospital."

My Cabinet Secretary looked like he knew it at the same time as me, and agreed, "Besides, Sir Humphrey was Hacker's Cabinet Secretary. Voters will relate you and Hacker more closely if you visit him."

"No." I refused. And I won. They didn't mentioned it again.

When I became Prime Minister for a whole week, I talked to Sir Bill Pritchard, my (and of course Hacker's) Press Officer about my first TV broadcast. I insisted on imitating Jim Hacker's one, but he said, "No, Prime Minister. There are rumors that you don't really believe your precedent because you refused to see his work partner."

"I didn't refused to see his work partners." I said," I am talking to you right now! Connect the newspapers, Stop the rumors. Hurry up."

"The work partner." He answered, "Sir Humphrey. He hopes you can visit St Edward."

"No." I was angry, "That's ridiculous - his not the only one. Besides, Hacker was often blocked by him. Let's turn our topic to my first visit to America."

Then he told me, the Permanent Secretary of Foreign Office is Sir Graham.

Of course, I was asked what time to see Sir Humphrey in the afternoon, when I had a meeting with Foreign Office. The Minister warned me: "Once you visit another country before our own welfare institution, you're on a very slippery slope."

And I ignored him completely with his complaint about insufficient funds.

I should say, Sir Bernard was easy to get along with. He was wise, humorous, and kind to everyone. After knowing I was the real fan of Hacker, just as Hacker to Churchill (some politicians would mimic the great ones to win votes, they didn't really admire them), he gave me a present: a Christmas Card, signed "Love from Annie and Jim".

"Oh Sir Bernard," I said, "how can I reward you?" Maybe he would mention Civil Service pay claim, I guessed in mind.

"Would you go to St Edward to visit Sir Humphrey, Prime Minister?" He suddenly asked, and I almost simply answered "Yes of course", but I reacted there was a trap and said "No, Sir Bernard. You should give up the idea. Maybe a pay claim will be more realistic?"

"Are you sure, Prime Minister?"

"I decide not to visit that hospital. Surely my decision is a decision, isn't it?"

"No, only if it's the decision we want. If not, it's just a temporary setback." He smiled.

The fourth man intervened this conflict was Sir Arnold. Actually, I was rather nervous when heard his name. However, I used up all my courage to say, "No, Sir Arnold. I admire Sir Humphrey, but I won't meet him."

"A warrior's inscription." He smiled.

I knew "controversial" meant I would lose votes, "courageous" meant I would lose the election, but what did " a warrior's inscription" mean?

"It means you can't hold on to the next election." Lloyd said, "Sir Arnold is still the leader of Campaign for the Freedom of Information."

Sir Arnold didn't leak something at last. Though I had no idea about it, I should say that was a good thing. However, they still didn't give up. I didn't know how they talked to my economic adviser. When I consulted him, he said, "I hope you can see Sir Humphrey, he might have deeper thought than mine."

"No, Dr. Thorn." I was bothered, "Sir Humphrey got Alzheimer's disease. How can he have deeper thought than yours?"

"May I ask how can you know he has Alzheimer's disease, Prime Minister?" He asked.

"No." I answered.

Sir Graham also told to Sir Fredrick "Jumbo" and Martin Walker. "As the best friend of Jim, I should give you some advice." When I visit Brussels, Martin welcomed me privately. I interrupted him, "Thank you, but not to see Sir Humphrey."

No wonder Jumbo looked upset. He was Sir Humphrey's best friend just as Martin was Hacker's.

Lucy Hacker, the Environment Minister, and the last one who tried to persuaded me. "Don't be surprise," she said, "I know you won't give up your mind because of those Permanent Secretaries. Believe me, I dealt with them when I was 18 years old, especially Sir Humphrey."

"Then?" I asked.

"I gave up my mind."

I couldn't remember what Sir Bernard discussed with me and the whole Cabinet, because Lloyd told us in hurry: "Call from St Edward Hospital. Sir Humphrey is dying."

"What?" Sir Bernard stood immediately and took me with him. Roy sent us to the hospital and came to his ward with us.

The ward was already full of people. Sir Arnold, Sir Graham, Jumbo, Bill, Martin, Dr. Thorn, Sir Frank, and Lucy Hacker. Seeing me entering the ward, they were soon quiet.

"Sir Humphrey, Minister is back." Sir Bernard said to the man on the bed. and pushed me to the front of the bed when I was standing still.

I was shocked when seeing Sir Humphrey: was this thin, old man in mess really the gentleman, the partner of Hacker?

Sir Humphrey caught my shirt sleeve before I returned from shock: "It's great that you came back, Minister! "

I didn't say anything, and he was nervous about my disappointment, "Minister, this is nothing about Corbett, no! I want you to stay here! Bernard and I have the good fortune of you staying on with us!"

"South Derbyshire? Civil defence? Information? Open government?" His voice sounded almost crying, "you've forgave me for the 40 million pounds, why leave me just for these tiny things!" He caught me more tightly, "Arnold tells me I will be the Cabinet Secretary. Please, Jim, I want you to be my Prime Minister, as long as you reconciled with me......"

_I had visited Sir Humphrey when in LSE, working in St Edward Hospital as volunteer. He had recognized me to the precedent Prime Minister Hacker wrongly, then he told me the story in DAA and No.10, encouraged me to devoted in politic area._

_I admired Jim Hacker. I admired Bernard Woolley. How couldn't I admire Sir Humphrey?_

_"What I have done that I regret mostly is letting him pay for the bill of rescuing a puppy." He had said, "as a reward to his trust, his tears that I'm not a spy."_

_The last time I had seen him sane, he had been upset, "Jim gave me his heart, full of trust and love, and I broke it into fragments. If time could reversed, I wished it could came back to the day my Scotland Island mistake had leaked."_

_"Why?" I had asked him curiously._

_"He forgave me for no reason." He had given me a tired smile, "I really miss him."_

He really missed him, or he really missed him.

"Humpy." I called him, suddenly and quietly, "I forgive you, we are fond with one another." Then I added, "Bernard is worried about us. He has been trying best to avoid us breaking with the other."

"You are good partners again. Can I go home from work finally?" Sir Bernard asked with tears.

"Well done, Bernard." Sir Humphrey closed his eyes, answered weakly.

"Treasure Jim's trust, please." I was close to his ear and said, "Humpy?"

He smiled and answered, "Yes, Prime Minister."


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ending of Sir Arnold

Until his death, Sir Arnold didn't really leave the power behind him.

The night before he dead was a clear evening, and moonlight was bright. Sir Bernard and I was talking to him about how to deal with beggars from Greece and government's policy to Asia. Then, he showed us the valuable gift from Chinese men.

It was a double-sided large screen embroidery, on the upper right corner there were some Chinese characters. Government officers shouldn't have received such expensive gifts, but he was no longer government officers, so we didn't say anything.

When going to bed that night, he told his private secretary to divide the papers for him, and he would read them and decide which to leak by Campaign for the Freedom of Information after waking up tomorrow.

He didn't wake up anymore.

Sir Arnold had a glorious life. He was born in the World War I, and joined in the World War II. He came to the top of domination in power conflicts, witnessed the glory and decline of the entire empire, and passed by in such a peaceful and quiet way. I guessed it was because God was so gentle to him that he could avoid all the suffering.

Sir Bernard said God was so gentle to him, too. He could tell himself, Sir Arnold was just sleeping. He was still here.

One thing added: there was different voice whether Sir Arnold received the gift violating the rules. Some famous sinologists of Oxford pointed out that the Chinese on this artwork was ominous, and it was not Chinese tradition to make such an artwork as a gift. So, This artwork was ordered by Sir Arnold at his own expense.

I had nothing to say about this. After all, I knew nothing about Chinese. Here's the photo of those characters, and you can tell which opinion was right by reading them:  
"君埋泉下泥销骨  
我寄人间雪满头"


End file.
